Editing Choir (section)

===Antiquity===
{{Main|Music of ancient Greece}}
{{See also|Ancient music}}
[[File:NAMA Bacchantes.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Relief, now in [[National Archaeological Museum of Athens|Athens]], showing [[Dionysus]] with actresses (possibly from ''[[The Bacchae]]'') carrying masks and drums]]

The origins of choral music are found in [[traditional music]], as singing in big groups is extremely widely spread in traditional cultures (both singing in one part, or in [[unison]], like in Ancient Greece, as well as singing in parts, or in [[harmony]], like in contemporary European choral music).<ref>{{cite book|first = Joseph|last = Jordania|author-link =Joseph Jordania|date= 2011|title =Why do People Sing? Music in Human Evolution|publisher= Logos|isbn = 978-9941401862}}</ref>

The oldest unambiguously choral repertory that survives is that of [[ancient Greece]], of which the 2nd century BC [[Delphic hymns]] and the 2nd century AD. hymns of [[Mesomedes]] are the most complete. The original [[Greek chorus]] sang its part in [[Greek drama]], and fragments of works by [[Euripides]] (''[[Orestes (play)|Orestes]]'') and [[Sophocles]] (''[[Ajax (play)|Ajax]]'') are known from [[papyri]]. The [[Seikilos epitaph]] (2c BC) is a complete song (although possibly for solo voice). One of the latest examples, ''[[Oxyrhynchus hymn]]'' (3c) is also of interest as the earliest [[Christian music]].

Of the [[Music of ancient Rome|Roman]] drama's music a single line of [[Terence]] surfaced in the 18th century. However, musicologist [[Thomas J. Mathiesen]] comments that it is no longer believed to be authentic.<ref>Warren Anderson and [[Thomas J. Mathiesen]]. "Terence", ''[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]'', ed. [[Stanley Sadie]] and [[John Tyrrell (musicologist)|John Tyrrell]] (London: Macmillan, 2001), xxv, 296.</ref>